Bread-cutter.



J. KARHU. BREAD GUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1909.

Patented May 23, 1911.

Patented May 23, 191'1.,

a salama-snm al. l

JOHN KABHU, OF CALUMET, MICHIGAN.

BREAD-CUTTER.

l specification of Lettersratent. Patented May 23, 1911.

Application led November 1, 1909.` Serial No. 525,724.

"To all whom it may concern.;

Be it known that I, J onN KARIIU, a citi-- zen of the'United States, residing at Calu- `met, in the county of Houghton, State of Michigam have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bread-Cutters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in .the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. y

This invention relates to improvements in bread cutting machines.

One object of the invention is the provision of a bread cutting machine designed to out loavesof bread in the direction of their lengths or widths preparatory to rebakingor toasting the bread.

Another object is the provision of a bread cutting machine provided with a rotary knife or cutter and-a feeder or carrier designed Ato convey the loaves of bread to the knife.

With the above and other object-s in view as will more fully hereinafter appear, the present invention consists in certain novel u details of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming part' of the speciicationr--Figure 1 isa plan View of the device. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device. Fig.

- 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 1-lof Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective of the cutter and casing. Fig. 6 is a similar view-of the tightening device for Athe carrier.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

The device comprises a supporting frame including in its construction four-corner standards or uprights designated by the numeral 5. The upper, lower and intermediate portions of these uprights are connected by the webs or cross pieces 6. The uprights or standards support a plane top, 7, the whole conforming to the shape of a table. Hingedly united to one of the longitudinal sides of the top is a leaf 8 corresponding in length to the length of the top, or substantially so, and similarly united to one end of the top is a similar leaf 9 corresponding to:

the width of the to or substantially so, and also to the width o the leaf 8. These leaves when folded outwardly and in a plane with the top hold theV bread to be cut and after the same has lbeen operated uponr The knife or cutter shaft is designated by the numeral 10 and extends transverse the top 7 and is j ournaled in hangers dependin from the lower face of said top and located adjacent the horizontal center thereof. That portion of the top directly above the shaft 10 is provided with a longitudinal slot 11, extending for a short ldistance and located at the longitudinal central line of the top 7. The knife or cutter is' designated by the numeral 19. and is keyed to the shaft 10 and extends upwardly through the slot 11 and above the top 7 That segmentof theknife or cutter located adjacent that end of the' vtop provided with the leaf 9 is covered by a channeled casing 13, constructed to permit free rotation of the knife therein and to prevent particles of the material from flying upwardly and out of the machine.

The opposite ends of the top 7 are centrally provided with inwardly extending slots or. recesses of considerablygreater width than the slot 11 through which the knife 12 extends, and depending from the lower face of the top and, on either side of these recesses are hangers corresponding' in length to the hangers which support the shaft `10. Journaled in these hangers are a pair of shafts 15 and 16, in a horizontal plane with the knife supporting shaft 10, and keyed to the shafts 15 and 16 are a pair of pulleys 17 and 18, of sizesto nicely fit within the recesses. The diameters of these pulleys are such that the upper sides of the pulleys will be a trifle above the horizontal plane of the upper face of the top 7 and considerably below the knife or cutter 12. The pulleys 17 and 18 are medially provided with ,circumferential collars 19 and 20, which The carrier in the present instance is designated by the numeral 21 and is shown to consist of a pair of endless belts which arey trained over the pulleys '17 and 18 and on either side of the circumferential collars 19 and 20. In order that the belts constituting v the carrier may be held at all times-comparand 18. J ournaled in these brackets are the atively taut, the following construction is employed :-.Extending laterally from the rear faces of the standards 5 adjacent the end leaf 9 are a pairof bracket arms lo- -cated considerably below the planes of the shafts 15 and 16 supporting the pulleys 17 opposite ends of a shaft 22. J ournaled on the shaft 22and in an inclined plane with the pulleys 17 and 18 is an idler 23, under which the belts constituting the carrier are trained. Journaled on the shaft 22 at 'either end of the pulley 23 are the interme- K opposite sides of the pulley 23. What will subsequently be ter'med the forward ends of these beams or those farthest removed from the end of the top .bearing the leaf 9 termi-v nate at a point adjacent the knife or,cut.

ter `12 and are connected by a transverselyA arranged shaft 25,on which is journaled a second idler V26, similar to the first-named Yidler 23 and over which is trainedthe carrier 21. The opposite ends of the beams 24 are connected by a rod 27, and supported by a suitable cord or cable from the intermediate portion of this rod is a weight 28.

With this constructionf it is evident that an upward force will be exerted by the pulley 26 on the belts producedl by the downward" pull of the weight 28, whereby the said belts will at all times be maintained in taut position.

It 'might here be stated, that the belts arearranged on either side of the disk or cutter 12 andwith this construction it is evident -knife passing through the loaves, a pair of when the carrier is moving in one direction or toward that'end of the top to which the.

leaf 9 is secured that an object placed on the carrier at the opposite end of the top will, by the said carrier, be carried to the cutting edgel of the knife.`

iTo positively hold the loaves against lat-1` eral movement while being carried and the endless grippers are employed. These grippers rotate In planes at right angles to the plane in which the lcarrier rotates and are located' on opposite sides "of the carrier and cutting disk.

lBy reference now to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive it will be seenthat journaled in a' pair ofv brackets adjacent the lower ends of the standards 5 are the lower ends of a pair of shafts 29 and 30. The upper ends of these shafts extend through openingsin the upper .end of the top 7 and adjacent the end pro' vided with the leaf 9. i Keyed to the upper ends of the shafts 29 and 30 and disposed Iadaptedto engage withthe teeth of the rack above the endless carrier 21 are a pair of drums 31 and 32, arranged on either side of the carrier 21. A second pair of drums similar to the first-named drums are designated by the numerals 33 and 34. The last-named drums are journaled on a palr of spindles 35 and 36, extending upwardly from the opposite ends of a .cross -plece 37. It might here be stated that the first-,named drums 31 and32 are arranged between one side of the knife or disk and that end of the top to which the end leaf is pivoted, while thek lastnamed drums 33 and 34 are located between the opposite sides of the knife or disk and opposite end of. the table. As before stated the last-named drums 33 and 34 are mounted for movement on a pair of spindles carried by a cross piece 37 and depending from the intermediate portion of the cross piece 37 is a short shaft 38,' which extends through an elongated slot formed in the top 7 and between the slot 11I for the knife or disk 12 and that end of the top remote from the endl to which the leaf 9 is pivoted. A lever designated by the numeral 39 has one end pivoted to the lower 4face ofthe top 7 and between the drums 33Nv and 34 and adjacent end of the top, and

connectionv is established between the short shaft 38 and intermediate portion of the lever by means of a connecting rod 39 the Y opposite ends of which are pivoted to the short shaft and intermediate portion of the lever. Thus it will be seen when thel lever is yoscillated that thedistance between the drums 31 and 32v and 33 and 34 will be in. creased or diminished. An arcuate rack is supported from the lower face of the top 7 and in a plane parallel with the latter and the outer end vof the lever which extends beyond one of the sides of the top is located between the said rack and top, in this'connection the lever is provided with a pawl so that movement of the lever will be prevented when the pawl is in engagement with the rack. l

Trained over the pulleys 31 and 33 and arranged on one side'of the carrier and. cut#` ter disk is an endless belt 40fand trained over the drums 32 and 34 on the o posite .side of the cutter disk and parallel with the endless belt/10 is a similar endless belt 41. The outer vsurfaces of these beltsare lprovided with a plurality of barbs 42, the whole constituting a pair of grippers, designed to hold the bread in position on the carrier during the cutting operation.

An adjusting device is provided for the grippers and is located adjacent the forward drums 33 and 34' or those farthest removed from' the end to which the leaf 9 is secured. The adjusting members are so positioned that they willbear on the inner faces of the` outer sides of the be1ts 40 andY .41 and by 130 moving them transverse the top 7 the dis- 4tance between the opposed inner surfaces of the belts ma be increased or diminished. This will be ound desirable when loaves of comparatively small Widths are to be cut. Each of the adjusting members consists of an oblong plate 43, designed to bear on the upper surface of the top 7. The plate 43 is provided with an elongated slot 44, which receives a set screw 45, the threaded shank of the set screw entering a threaded o ening formed in the top 7. Thus it wil be seen by moving the plate 43 transverse the top 7 and then turning the set screw 45, the said plate will be fixedly secured in adjusted position. Arranged on the inner end of the plate 43 isa transverse arm 46 corre-- s onding approximately to the length of the p ate 43, and rising from theopposite ends of the arm 46 are a pair of spindles upon which are journaled a pair of spools 47 and 48, corresponding in length to the length of' the drums, or substantially so. The upper endsof the shafts on which the spools are journaled extend for a short distance above the upper ends of the spools and are con-` nected by means of a transversely disposed cross piece 49, which serves to brace the shafts in upright osition. With this construction it is evident when the spools 48 and 47 bear outwardly on the inner surfaces of the belts, as before described, one side of the belt will bulge toward the knife or cutter 12.

In order to hold the loaves in position on the carrier before the said loaves come into engagement with the grippers, a pair of guldes 50 and 51 are employed. These members are preferably formed of oblong pieces of wood corresponding approximately to the width of the grip ers. The guides are supported on one o their longitudinal edges and are movable to and' from each other so as to receive loaves of varying widths. Each guide is held supported by means of a pair of oblong plates 52 and 53. These plates are centrally provided with oblong slots 54, which receive set screws 55, the threaded Shanks of the latter being threadable into openings formed in the top 7. v The inner ends of the plates are upturned and flxedly secured to the outer facesy of the guides. The lengths of the guides correspond approximately. to the distance between the drums 33 and 34 and adjacent end is designated by the numeral 59 and is journaled in a pair of side cross pieces located vadjacent the lower ends of the uprights or 21 is connected. Connection between the' pulleys 62 and 65 is established by means of a belt 66, this belt being formed so that the pulleys 62 and 65 will rotate in opposite di'- 'rections The intermediate pulle 63 or that.

adjacent to the pulley 62 is in irect alinement with a similar pulley 67 keyed to the knife bearing shaft 10, connections between the pulleys-63 and 67 bein established by means of a belt 68. The pu ley 64 adjacent that end of the shaft 59 remote from the drive wheel 60 is in a horizontal plane with a pulley 69 keyed to the lower end of the shaft 29 to which the drum 3l is secured, and connection between the pulleys 64 and 69 is established by means of a belt 70. The shaft 29 is intermediately provided with a crown gear 71, the teeth of which mesh with a similar crown gear 72 keyed to the intermediate portion of the opposite shaft 29. When the parts are connected as just described it will be obvious when the driving shaft rotates that similar movement will be imparted to the cutter, carrier and grippers so that a loaf placed upon the carrier at that end of the table remote from the end tovwhieh the leaf is pivoted, will be carried through. the guides and thence to the grppers', the latter holding the loaf in position while the cutter passes therethrough. After the loaf has been cut, it bein understood that the leaf at one end of t e table has been partially raised, the loaf will be carried to the leaf by the carrier and fall int? a suitable receptacle located below the ea f Thus it will be seen that I have provided a device which is exceedingly simple in structure and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, embodying few parts and these so arranged that the danger of deran ement will be reduced to a minimum.v

Vhat isclaimed as new, is

A bread cutter including a supportin table, a rotary disk cutter carried by said table, a pair of endless carriers arranged one on'either side of and traveling in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the disk cutter, sheaves on either side of the cutters, a pair ofl endless grippers trained over said sheaves, said grippers overlying the carriers and confronting the sides of the cutter,a sheave of each gripper being movably mounted on said table, a link connecting said` sheaves, a lever fulcrumed ,on said table and connected to said link for simultaneously actuating said movable sheaves whereby to hold the grippers taut, and a air of brackets adjustably mounted on said table and carrying idlers which bear against each endless gripper, said brackets being movable toward or away from each other wherebyA to permit of various sized loaves being engaged between saidgrippers. 10`

In testimony whereof, I afiX my signature,' in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN KARHU. Witnesses: i

W. RGALBRMTH,

S. SlLvoLA. 

